Concrete block machine



Dec. "4, 1934. 1. ERKMAN CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed April 27, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

J :Ihn Erkrn an ATTORNEY .2 .GE m .t .GE

BYZ

Dec. 4, 41934. A .1. ERKMAN "1,982,730 t CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed April 27. 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 2v ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 4, ]l ERKMAN 1,982,730

CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed April 27, 1932 8 sheets-sheet 3 QQ TT s INVENTOR. .In hn Erkm .n

Dec. 4, 1934.v .1, ERKMAN CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed April 27, 1952 a sheets-sheet 4 Q GW l INVENTOR.

J n'hn Er'km an om ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1934. J. ERKMAN 1,982,730

CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed April 27, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5.

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 4, 1934. .1. ERKMAN CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE E 8 Sheets-Shet 6 Filed April 27, 1952 FIG. 6.

INVENTOR.

.Jahn Er'km ln BY l Z wd/@ ATTORNEY l 4, '1934. J, ERKMAN A 11,982,730

CONCRETE BLOCK MgCHINE Filed April 27, 1952 '8 sheets-sheet '7 FIG. 22.

FIG. 20.

, I' E@ M is FIG 21 i: ff

I /l 2,/ V C 3 i: f

27;/ ii ///L/ y 27gd ir M25/f gli j@ l INVENTQR.

2g i Jahn Erkman 28d lj Bv v 0; JWM/@w/M ATTORN EYS.

Dec. 4, 1934. J. ERKMAN '1,982,730

CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed April 27, 1952 8 Sheets-Shea?l 8 |NVENTOR. Jn'hn Erkrn an ATTORNEYS.

v SLU Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES CONCRETE BLOCK lvuilCnINliV John Erkman, Peru, Ind. Application April 27, 1932, serial 16.601854 12 Claims.

I'he present invention relates to machines for the production vof moulded masonry units such as building blocks,v tile, partition slabs etc., and the primary object ofthe invention is to provide an automatic concrete block machine for making either hollow or solid blocks and wherein an endless series of moulds are automatically filled and the blocks automatically removed from the moulds in a continuous operation of the machine.

A'further `object of the invention is to provide `a 'combination block machine wherein two types of blocks and of different sizes may be produced atone time.

A further object of the invention `is to provide a concrete block machine wherein the llingand ypacking of the material in the moulds is accomplished by a jolting or jarring action and without any tamping of the material.

A further object vof `the invention is to provide an automatic concrete block making machine embodying improved means for themaking' of panelled face blocksover the present types 4of socalled face down machines.

A still `further object of the invention is to provide an automatic, combination concrete block making machine whereby concrete products of various sizes, shapes and congurations maybe economically produced and without handling other-than transferring of the green blocks for curing.- A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic concrete block machine wherein the material receiving hoppers are vsubjected to a jolting action at timed intervals-when the moulds are aligned with the hoppers.

Other objects vand advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification and in which drawings IFigure 1 is a `view in side elevation of the machine, the parts being lshown `with the rmoulds in a filling position beneath the hoppers and the mould conveyor at rest to permit lling of the moulds andejection of Vthe green blocks from certain of the moulds. Figure 2 is a top plan View of the showing in Figure 1. i

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the parts in theposition Yas in Figure 1.

Figure 4 vis a longitudinal sectional view showing `'the cores lowered and the ejecting lblocks raised to permit travel of the mould conveyor.

Figures 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sections substantially on the respective lines in Figure ,3,

ered.

(Cl. ,Z5-100) Figure is a detail sectional viewxsubstantlally similar to Figure 6 and showing the cores low- Fgures 18 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views `taken longitudinally ,of the machine ,and showing the arrangement for imparting a jolting action to Athe moulds and hoppers while the moulds are in a receiving position below the hoppers.

panel face ,and corner block moulds, the vmould .being shown in its spread position. t

Figure 11 is a sectional view thruthejpanel face and corner block mould shown in a closed position.

Figure 12 iszasection on 4the line 12-^12 of Figure 11. i

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of one of the rollerconveyors for receiving thegreen blocks from the moulds and showing the position of a pallet upon the'con-veyor.

Figure A14 isa fragmentary section on Vthe line 14-14 of Fig-.ure 13.

Figures 15 and 16 are fragmentary detail `;,views of the clutch 4arrangement for automatically'controlling operation of thegjoltingineans,Figurel showing the clutch engaged andFig-ure 16 showing Athe clutch disengaged.

Figure 17 is a` perspective view of one form of concrete `blocks formed by the machine, the 'block shown in Figure 1'7 being known as a panel face and corner block. f

-Figure 18 is a perspective view of a panel face block.

Figure 19 is a perspective yiew y0f a plain building block `having Vone end squared and its opposite end cored out; e Figure 20 is -a fhorizontalsection thru the lower portion of a hopper partitioned to provide a panel face block vas shown in Figure 18.4

Figure 21 is a horizontal section thru a hopper partitioned to provide a panelled faceand corner block as shown in Figure 17. i

Figure 22 is a perspective view of a partition plate for ymak-ing rock faced -or panel faced blocks. y

Figure 23 isa perspective view ofthe dividing gate or plate for use in moulding rock faced or panel faced blocks.

Figure 24 is `a perspective view of the partition for lmaking faced and corner blocks.

Figure 25 is a perspective view of the dividing gate for `use with the partition yshown in Figure 24.

Figures 26, 27, 28 and `2,9 are diagrammatic Figure 10 -is a bottomplan View of one-of the tof fuprights'fa Views showing various positions of the cams for operating the core plate, ejector head and dividing gate and also the relation of the conveyor drive means at the various positions of the cams.

In the form of machine shown, the arrangement of hoppers and moulds is such as to produce in one complete cycle of operation of the machine, one panelled face block as shown in Figureil'andone plain block as shown in Figure 195:11 1 l Y In the drawings and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the machine comprises a` main frame embodying a pair of parallel spaced apart lower rails 5 and a pair of parallel spaced part upper track rails 6 mounted at their front or forward ends upon front end standards 7 and at their rear ends upon rear end standards 'l'. The lower rails 5 are connected by suitable cross ties 8 arranged at suitably spaced points along '-theirailsi'flhatrack: rails 6 are offangle shape and have thinyhonizontal anges extended inwardly to form a track way for the mouldconve'yo'r.'fcliain'si@Arranged adjacent the rear poriframe is a hopper 'frame em- Ltio -o thema body gffouruprghtslo,arranged two at each fsideof'theimainframeand 'extending above the 'trackrailsll l'I'h'ese-fuprights 10 provide intermediate supports for the track rails 6 and the oppcsitefs'ides'fcthe track rails are connected' atftheirilupp en'dsby horizontal hopper supportingjrailsffld.mThefrontend standards 1L'7;fproject above 'th track ails .16 landform supp'rts' forthefeiwardiendsofmounting rails 12 having Atheir rear ends supported by the fore- 'ms'thoftheprightsl0.9 flhe horizortalfmount ing rails 12 are supported intermediatetheir ends rby' up1'f. i'ghts;11,1y T

ur'naled'M a ne fzfrntlstadard 7 'urnal'ed inthe, rear Vflthe:track rcrf'rota- Y Tr nedover Aom fthesprdeketsfilcfana if? a veyor chains 13 thenupper runs1- along theinturne'dfangesiiofi the 6.

upper hrifz'cntr y Y l A the Vltearftfrvam, their@ endl/f femmmes e conveyor D "t-1,1

Y movement.

moulds 20 and 21 when aligned beneath the hoppers. In the example of the machine illustrated, the hopper 23 is intended to contain a mixture of coarse regular material for moulding of plain blocks, while the hopper 23 is intended to contain in the separate compartments thereof both coarse regular material and the facing material for moulding of a face block. The hoppers 23 and 24 are supported on the rails 11 by transverse rails 25 resting yupon the rails 11 and connected thereto with a loose connection as by bolts 26 permitting limited vertical movement of the hoppers and restraining the hoppers against lateral These material hoppers are of substantially like construction, each having a rectangular-shaped discharge opening at its lower end and are provided at the rear of their lower ends with a hinged door 27 which may be adjusted by means of the pin 28 and adjustment openings 29 for Varying the width of the discharge opening in accordance with the size of moulds being used. Referring particularly vto Figures 4 and 2G, the hopper24 is providedinward'lyof its side walls with Vertical guides 30 for receiving the edgesof a partition plate 31 such as shown in Figure 22 whereby the hopper is divided into a compartment 32 forv the coarse regular materialfor forming the body portion of the block and a compartment 33 for the facing'material. The lower open ends of these hoppers 23 and 24 are in such relation to the upper edges ofv the moulds passing therebeneath as? to be raised by the moulds during the jolting filling operation of the moulds in a manner to be subsequently described.

Journa-led horizontally in the front uprights 10 of the hopper frame to extend transversely of the machine at an elevation above the forward travel of the moulds is a power shaft 34 preferably provided with` a pulley wheel 35 for receiving j the power shaft. Mounted upon one end ofthe camshaftzd a sector gear 39 having a gear segment 40e-formed on the outer face thereof forgzffintermittently meshing with a bevel pinion 41-nxedfuponaconveyor drive shaft 42. This shaft 42;finclinesgdownwardly and rearwardly at theouteri side of fthetmachine frame,` being journa1e`d=adjacentzzits-ends in'suitable bearings 43 andy 'nte'rmediate-its:ends'in a bearing 43' which maybemountednponztherear end portion of one of the mounting rails f12'..TzFIhe'rear end of the shaft:.42 barriesaafzbevelpinion 44 which meshes witlii-acbevelipini'on :45'1mounted on the conveyor slaftil. iiThus;eontinuousarotationof the power shaftf34 thrufthe'gearsegment 40 and bevel pinicni'lllffiinpart"movement Lwi'th'al-stop motion to the conveyor chains 18. ,c f iff'Supported beneath tlieiho'ppers .232" d 24 as at its front and rear ends upon cross barsv 46 ext'ended-fb'etweentransversefpairss o f the 'u'prights i "nichtne moulds position beneath b byfswtablfeineaapermittingfverticlmovemet KAl i 'J lateral movement.

`earn grooves 61.

of the plate but restraining the plate against J ournaled in the uprights 10 beneath each end portion of the jolting plate 47 are jolting shafts 50 pro-vided with small cams 51 as .shown more clearly in Figures 8 and 9. These `rotatable shafts 50 thru the cams 51 act to vertically oscillate the jolting plate. Each shaft 50 `is provided at one end with a sprocket 52 driven by a chain 53 trained over a clutch sprocket 54 rotatable upon one end of the'po-wer shaft 34.

The jolting plate 47 is provided with two transverse rows of core openings 55 which align one `beneath each of the hoppers 23 and 24. Verti- `cally movable beneath the jolting plate is a core plate 56 which is vertically slidable on suitable vguides 57 extended from the base rails 5 to the track rails 6 between the uprights 10. The core plate A56 is provided with two `transverse rows of preferably tapered cores 58 adapted to move upwardly thru. the openings 55 in the jolting plate. These cores are readily removable to permit changing of the cores and may be held in position by a pin 59 as shown in Figure 7. When the lcore plate 56 is at its downward limit of movement the upper edges of the cores extend flush with the upper surface of the jolting plate 47.

Referring now to the operating means for iniparting vertical movement to the core plate 56, the cam shaft 36 has iiXed thereon a par of core plate operating cams 60 provided at their outer ory opposed faces with cam grooves 61. These cams 60 are arranged just inwardly of the mounting rails 12. Pivotally mounted intermediate their ends upon each of the forward uprights 10 as upon a rock shaft 62 is a rocker arm 63. Each rocker arm 63 is provided adjacent its forward end with a cam roller 64 for travel in the The rear ends of the rocker arms are connected by links 65 to the core plate 56. The cam grooves 6l are of such shape as to cause a stop motion or dwell of the core plate 56 at both its upward and downward limit of movement.

The lled moulds are moved in pairs from beneath the filling hoppers to an ejecting position forwardly of the jolting plate where the green blocks are automatically removed from the moulds. This ejecting means for the green blocks embodies an ejector head plate 66 vertically movable on guides 67 between the track rails 6 and mounting rails 12. The ejectorl head 66 is arranged directly below the cam shaft 36 and is provided at its upper side with webs 68 carrying rollers 69 for acting in the cam grooves 70 of a double faced cam 71 fixed to the center of the cam shaft 36. Rotation of the cam 71 acts to provide a stop motion or dwell of the ejector head at both its upward and downward limit of movement. Carried by the under side of the ejector head 66 is a pair of ejecting plates 72 adapted upon downward movement of the ejector head to remove the blocks from the moulds into position beneath the ejector head. Suspended from the ejector head at each side of the machine vframe is a conveyor .supporting rail 73 and these rails have vertical: movement withv the ejector head. The rails 73 supports for a pair of roller conveyors 74 which extend transversely of the machine frame have vertical movementbetween the upper and lower horizontal runs of the conveyor chains 18. These roller conveyors 74 are preferably formed with side rails 75 in which are journaled the ends of suitable rollers 76 which are arranged below the upper edges of the side rails. These transverse roller conveyors are adapted to receive suitable pallets 77 which receive the green blocks when-ejectedfrom the moulds.' `A yieldable stop 78 as shown in Figures 13 and 14 is preferably mounted in one of the M conveyor side rails 75 for stopping the pallet at a position beneath the moulds. As will be noted in Figure 4, when the ejector head 66 is raised, the pallet 77 will be engaging the lower edges of the moulds to receive the green blocks when forced from themoulds by the ejecting plate. When the ejected from the moulds.

vso

Referring now to the means for intermittently imparting rotation to the jolting shaft 50, the sprocket 54 which is vfreely rotatable on the power shaft 34 is provided with a ratchet hub 54' for engagement by a clutch 'sleeve 79 slidably keyed to the outer end of the power shaftand normally spring urged toward'the ratchet hub. Pivotally mounted at one end upon the bearing 43 for the 'conveyor drive shaft 42 is a yoke 80 having' a swivel connection to the clutch sleeve 78. The opposite end of the'yoke 80 is provided with `an arm 81 having a beveled end as shown in `ligures 15 and 16 tok bev engaged by a cam projection 82 carried by one of the rocker arms 63. Withy this arrangement, when the rear ends of the rocker arms are swung downwardly by the cams 60 the clutch sleeve 79 will be disengaged from-the clutch hub 54 for stopping Vrotation of the `jolting shafts 59 when the core plate 56 is lowered.

Referring now to the molds 20 and 2l which are alternately spaced upon' the conveyor chains 18, the plain moulds `2l) 'may be ofrectangularshape providing end walls 83 and side walls 84. The moulds 20 as before stated are forformation of the plain building block such as shown in Figure 19. VThe moulds 2l. and which are shown in detail in Figures 10, 1l and l2 are of .an eXpans-ible type for the formation of panel-led blocks. The moulds 2l are constructed with a rear `wall 85 having a fixed end wall 86 at one end anda pivoted `end wall `87 at its oposite end. The front wall 88 is connected for parallel movement toward and from the rear wall by means of coupling bolts ico 89 arranged two at each end of the walls beyond the end walls or plates 86 and 87. An expansion coil spring 90 encircles each coupling bolt 89 and acts to normally spread the walls 8.5-and 88. The wall 88 is provided at its inner side with locking grooves or channels 91 for receiving the ends of the walls 86 and 87 when the mould is contracted. AI leaf spring 92 serves toswing vthe end wall 87 outwardlyfwhen released from its locking groove 91. as at 93, while the inner surface of the `pivoted end wall 87 is recessed as at 93 and these recesses serve to providepanels lon one face and one `end of a block' to provide a face and corner block shown in Figure 17. When forming a panelledfac'e block as in Figure 18, a plain pivoted end wall. is substituted for the wall 87 by simply removing the hinge pin 87.v Thus, the plain moulds 26 are used for makinga plain block as at A, Figure 19, while the expansible l.moulds 2l are used for making a paneled face andcorner block as at B, Figure 17. `Substitution of a plain end wall 87 in the expansible moulds 21 will permit .making lof panelled faced blocks as `at C Figure 18. The purpose ofthe expansible moulds The inner `sur-face of the `wall 85 is recessed l is of course to permit removal of the panelled blocks from the moulds by the ejector plate 72.

A locking device is provided for closing the moulds 21 when in a receiving position beneath the hopper 24 and this means comprises a pair of U-shaped members carried by the core plate 56 and providing upstanding iingers 94 having movement thru suitable apertures in the jolting plate 47. The walls and 88 ofthe moulds 21 are provided with tapered recesses which receive the fingers 94 for moving the walls 85 and 88 toward one another when the core plate is raised. An end wall closing finger 96 is also carried by the core plate to engage a tapered recess 97 provided in the outer side of the end plate 87, and this finger 96 is of greater length than the lingers 94 whereby the end plate 87 will be closed prior to closing of the walls 85 and 88 by the fingers 94.

Referring now to the arrangement whereby a facing material may be applied for making a face block, this means includes a vertically movable dividing gate or plate 100 having vertical movement in the lower guides 30 in the hopper 24. Supported upon the rear ends of the rails l1 as in brackets 101 is a shaft 102 for pivotal mounting of a pair of bell crank levers 103 having their rearwardly extending arms connected to the dividing plate 100 by the connecting rods 104. Adjustably connected with the forwardly extending arms of the bell crank levers are links 105 which have their lower ends pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of roller arms 106 pivoted at their rear ends upon the shaft 62. Fixed upon the cam shaft 36 is a pair of dividing plate operating cams 108 each provided with a cam groove 109 for receiving rollers 110 carried by the forward ends of the arms 106. These dividing plate cams 108 have their grooves so shaped as to provide intervals of stop movement to the dividing plate.

When the dividing plate 100 is lowered into one of the moulds 21 as in Figure 3, it serves to divide the facing material from the coarse material during filling of the moulds.

Referring particularly to Figures 21, 24 and 25, when a face and corner block such as at B is to be made. the flat partition plate 31 is removed and the right angular-shaped partition-112 placed in the hopper 24. 'I'he partition 112 will allow for the facing material to be extended about two sides of the moulds. An angle-shaped dividing gate 114 is also substituted for the dividing plate 100 and this gate 114 is raised and lowered into the moulds by the connecting rods 104. The gate 114 is provided with the fins 115 for sliding in the lower guides 30 of the hopper. Thus the machine may be easily converted for making either face blocks having the facing material only on one side thereof or making face and corner blocks having the facing material on two sides of the block.

In operation of the machine as a combination machine for producing in one continuous cycle of operation, one plain building block as at A in Figure 19, and one panelled face block as at C in Figure 18, the parts at the start of the cycle of operation will be in a position as shown in Figure 4. In this position, the cores 58 are lowered out of the moulds, the ejector head 66 raised out of the moulds and thedividing plate 100 withdrawn from the mould 21 which is aligning beneat-h the hopper 24. The cams 60, 108 and '71, and the sector gear 39 will be in a position as diagrammatically shown in Figure 26. The

mould 21 aligning beneath the hopper 24 is in an expanded position. With a continuous drive imparted to the power shaft 34 by the pulley wheel 35, the cam shaft 36 will be rotating in the direction 'of the arrow, and considering Figures 1, 3 and 4, will be rotating in a clockwise direction. Considering Figure 26, with the cam shaft 36 rotating in the direction of the arrow, it will be seen that the rollers 64, and 69 are at the limit of the throw portions a of their respective cams with the core plate 56 at its limit of downward movement and the ejector head 66 and dividing plate 100 at their upward limit of movement. The gear segment 40 has just engaged a bevel pinion 41 and as the cam shaft rotates thru a one-quarter turn, the conveyor chains 18 will be driven to an extentwhereby the moulds aligning beneath the hoppers 23 and 24 will be moved forwardly to a position aligning beneath the ejecting plates '72 of the ejector head 66. The gear segment 40 extends for only onequarter of the circumference of the gear 39 and during forward travel of the upper run of moulds, by a one-quarter turn of the cam shaft 36, no movement will be imparted to either the core plate 56, ejector head 66 and dividing plate 100 because of the cam rollers 64, 110 and 69 moving in the dwells b of their respective cams. Thus, the core plate, ejector head and dividing plate are held retracted from the moulds for a period of time permitting the nlled moulds to move from beneath the filling lioppers to an ejecting position beneath the ejector head. Figure 27 shows the position of the cams and the gear segments at the limit of forward movement of the moulds from a filling to a discharging position. Figure 28 shows the position of the cams when the machine is in a condition for filling the moulds beneath the hoppersand ejecting the formed blocks by the ejector head 66.

At the next one-quarter revolution of the cam shaft 36 from the position in Figure 27 to the position in Figure 28, the cam rollers are moved along the throw portions c of their respective cams for imparting upward movement to the core plate and downward movement to the ejector head and the dividing plate. It will be noted that the throw portions c of the cams are equal, that is, impart the limit of throw movement to their respective cam rollers upon one-quarter revolution of the cam shaft 36. Thus, the core plate 56 is raised into the moulds at the same time that the dividing plate 100 is lowered into the mould 2l for making the faced block. At the upward limit of movement of theV core plate the mould 21 is closed by the fingers 94 and 96, and just prior to the upward limit of movement of the core plate, the cam projection 82 permits engagement of the clutch sleeve '79 with the ratchet hub 54. Engagement of the clutch sleeve 79 with the ratchet hub 54' imparts rotation to the jolting shafts 50 thru the chain 53 and causes a vertical oscillation of the jolting plate 47. The moulds resting upon the jolting plate 47 engage the bottoms of the hoppers 23 and 24 whereby the hoppers are vertically oscillated and the material caused to fall and pack in the moulds by a jarring action. This jarring action of the moulds and hoppers is continued thruout the dwell d of the core plate cam 60 and during which time the core plate is held in a raised position with the cores 58 projecting into the moulds.

The dwell d of the cam 108 is less than the dwell d of the cam 60 and by observing Figure 29, it willA be seen that the cam roller 110 has lowered into the moulds so that the coarse ma.

terial from the hopper compartment 32 will be bonded with the facing material from the compartment 33 by the jolting action. The dividing plate is fully withdrawn from the moulds byitsl cam 108 prior to completion of the jciting action and remains in a raised position thruout the dwell b of the cam 10S. Just after the start of lowering movement of the core plate by the cam 60, the cam projection 82 onthe rocker arm 63 engages the yoke arm 81 to disengage the clutch sleeve 79 and stop rotation of the jolting shaft 56. Thus the jolting action ceases during retraction of the cores from the moulds and prevents cracking of the formed blocks by any jolting action.

Lowering of the core plate yalso retracts the fingers 94 and 96 and permits opening of the moulds 21. As the cam rollers 64 and 69 are moved along the throw portions a of their respective cams, the core plate will be lowered and the ejector head raised.

After a one-quarter rotation of the camshaft 36 from the position in Figure 29, the cam, core plate, ejector head and dividing plate will be returned to the position as in Figures 4 and 26 and permit movement of the filled moulds from beneath the hoppers to a position beneath the ejector head. Thus it will be seen that the movement of the core plate 56, ejector head 66 and dividing plate 100 by their respective cams 60, 71 and 108 is such that the cores 58 remain in the moulds thruout substantially the entire time of the jolting action for filling the moulds, while the dividing plate 100 is raised in advance of retracting the cores so that bonding of the coarse and facing material is produced by the jolting action. j

When the 'moulds are lled and the cores and dividing plate retracted, the bottoms of the hoppers serve to smooth olf the material at the top of the moulds as the moulds are moved from beneath the hoppers to a position beneath thev ejector head 66. The consistency of the material within the hoppers 23 and 24 and the tapered walls of the hoppers prevent the material from dropping from the hoppers when the moulds are removed. The material will also adhere to the Walls and 86 of the expansible moulds 21 when the moulds are opened and prevents the block from falling from the moulds.

When desiring to make only plain blocks, additional moulds 20 may be attached to the conveyor chains in place of the moulds 21. This also requires removal of the partition plate 31 together with the dividing plate 100 and its connecting rod 104 from the hopper 24.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a combination concrete block machine has been disclosed whereby two different types of blocks may be produced at the same time with one of the blocks being a faced block. It will also be observed that a machine of this character has been disclosed wherein the moulds are filled and the material packed therein by a jolting action and which jolting action is also applied to the material hoppers for causing feeding of the material from the hoppers into the moulds.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:v l u i, 1. In a concrete block machine, an endless carrier, moulds mounted in spaced relation on the carrier, a hopper supported above a run of `the moulds and having' limited free vertical` movement, means for successively aligning the moulds beneath the hopper, a jarring plate for supporting a mould when aligning beneath the hopper, and means for vertically reciprocating the jarring plate and causingthe mould being filled to strike the hopper for jarring` the hopper during lling of the moulds. i

2. In a concrete block machine, an endless conveyor, mouldsfmounted in spaced relation along the conveyor, a jolting plate over which the moulds are slidably movable, a hopper mounted above the jolting plate and having limited vertical movement, and means for vibrating the jolting plate whereby said moulds when on the jolting plate engage the hopper to cause vibration of the hopper during filling of the moulds.v

3. In a concrete block machine, endless carrier chains, a series of moulds mounted in spaced relation along the chains, means formoving the moulds with a stop motion, a jarring plate over` which the moulds having sliding movement, a hopper supported. above the jarring plate and beneath which the moulds are stopped, cores movable upwardly thru the jolting plateinto the mould being filled, means for moving the cores, means for jarring the hoppers for filling the moulds, means for automatically stopping the jarring action prior to lowering of the cores from the moulds, and means for ejecting the blocks from the filled moulds, said ejecting means being out of engagement with the moulds at the ico time the cores are retracted to permit travel of automatically stopping jarring of the mould andr hopper upon lowering of the cores from the mould, a vertically movable ejector head arranged above the upper run of moulds and having ejector plates for forcing the blocks from the moulds, and a carrier for receiving the blocks from the mould 'and vertically movable with the ejector head.

5. In a concrete block machine, an endless carrier embodying spaced carrier chains having upper and lower horizontal runs, a plurality of moulds connecting the chains, means for imparting travel to the chains with a stop motion, a hopper beneath which the upper run of moulds are successively stopped, a jolting plate for supporting the moulds when aligning beneath the hopper, a core Aplate having cores vertically movable upwardly thru the jolting plate into the core being filled, means for impartinga jarring action to the jolting plate for a period of time while the cores are in the moulds, said jarring actionbeing transmitted to the hopper by the mould being filled, an ejector head vertically movable above the upper run of moulds, an ejector plate carried by the ejector head for ejecting the block from the mould upon lowering the ejector head, operating means for the ejector head, and a roller conveyor extended transversely of the carrier chains between the upper and lower runs thereof and vertically movable with the being filled, means for filling the mould by av jarring action when the cores are in the mould, means for ejecting the blocks rfrom the moulds, a roller conveyor vertically movable with the ejecting means, pallets movable on the roller conveyor for receiving the blocks when ejected from the moulds, and a yieldable stop for positioning the pallets` beneath the moulds in a position to receive the blocks.

7. In a concrete block machine, an endless carrier, a plurality of moulds arranged in spaced relation along the carrier, a horizontally supported plate forming a support for a mould when at a filling position, a hopper for filling the moulds, said hopper and said plate having limited vertical movement, jclting shafts mounted beneath the plate for causing raising and dropping of the plate to produce a jarring action, said jarring action being transmitted thru the mould being lled to the hopper, and means for rotating the jclting shafts to cause filling of the moulds.

8. In a concrete block machine, an endless carrier, a plurality of moulds mounted along the carrier, a jarring plate mounted beneath a portion of the upper run of moulds, over which the moulds are slidable, material hoppers mounted above the jolting plate longitudinally of the carrier, said hoppers having limited vertical movement, cores vertically movable upwardly thru the jolting plate into the moulds aligning beneath the hoppers, means for jarring the jolting plate to provide a jarring action to the moulds and hoppers while vthe cores are raised in the moulds, an ejector head provided with ejecting plates for removing the blocks from the moulds, and conveyor means vertically movable with the ejector head for receiving the blocks when removed from the moulds.

9. In a block moulding machine, a conveyor embodying endless carrier chains having upper and lower horizontal runs, a plurality of moulds mounted in spaced relation along the chains, hoppers mounted above the rear portion of the conveyor and beneath which the upper run of moulds is movable, means for operating the conveyor with a stop motion for stopping the moulds beneath the hoppers, cores vertically movable upwardly into the moulds aligning beneath the hoppers, raising and lowering means for the cores, means for filling the moulds by a jarring action while the cores areraised in the moulds, a vertically movable ejector head arranged forwardly of the hoppers for ejecting the blocks from the filled moulds, and roller conveyors vertically movable with the ejector head between the upper and lower runs of the conveyor chains for receiving the blocks ejected from the moulds.

10. In a combination block moulding machine, a conveyor embodying endless carrier chains having horizontal upper and lower runs, a series of alternately spaced expansible and solid moulds mounted on the carrier chains, front and rear hoppers supported above the upper run of the moulds, means for moving the conveyor with a stop motion for aligning the solid moulds below the rear hopper and the expensible moulds below the front hopper, a jclting plate supporting the moulds when aligning beneath the hoppers, a vertically movable core plate, series of cores carried by the core plate and movable upwardly thru openings in the jclting plate into the moulds, locking means carried by the core plate for closing the expansible moulds when being filled, jarring means for the jclting plate, the jarringaction being transmitted to the hoppers by the moulds, a partition in the front hopper and providing separate compartments, a dividing plate guided at one face of the partition for lowering movement into the expansible moulds, means for lowering the dividing plate into the moulds as the cores are moved upwardly into the moulds, means automatically controlling jarring of the jolting plate whereby the jarring action continues thruout withdrawal of the dividing plate from the moulds and is stopped prior to withdrawal of the cores from the moulds, and means for simultaneously ejecting the blocks from the moulds when moved by the carrier chains to a position from beneath the hoppers,

11. In a combination block making machine, endless carrier chains having upper and lower horizontal runs, a series of alternately arranged solid and eXpansible moulds carried by the chains, a pairof front and rear hoppers for filling the moulds, stop motion drive means for the carrier chains for stopping the solid moulds beneath the rear hopper and the expansible moulds beneath the front hopper, cores movableupwardly into the moulds, iingers movable with the cores for closing the expansible mould, means for jarring the moulds and hoppers, a partition in the front hopper providing separate material compartments, a dividing plate for separating the materials in the expansible moulds and retractable from the moulds during the jarring action, andY lplate movable into the moulds and slidably mounted at one face of said partition, means for imparting movement with a stop motion to the endless carrier, closing means for the expansible moulds lwhen in a lling position, means for ejecting the blocks from the moulds, receiving means for the ejected blocks, cam controlled actuating means for operating the cores, dividing plate and ejector for retaining the same clear ofy the moulds during movement, and means controlled by the core actuating means to control the jarring means to stop the jarring action prior to withdrawal of the cores.

` JOHN ERKMAN. 

